


In The Spirit Of Giving

by joufancyhuh



Series: Starkhaven's Finest [12]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Life in Griffon Wing, NonInquisitor Trevelyan, Satinalia, set during Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 10:22:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16993221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: Trevelyan frets over what to give Rylen for Satinalia.





	In The Spirit Of Giving

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Inuy21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inuy21/gifts).



> To my wonderful cocreator of this whirlwind of a story for Rylen and Evelyn. This year has been a lot of things, but you were absolutely the best one to come out of it, as was this story. The two are not related. You're still a great person. I'm going to shut up now. 
> 
>  
> 
> Evelyn Trevelyan belongs to Inuy21

“Ry, don’t.”

Rylen shot Evelyn a quick glare over his shoulder before returning his attention to the merchant in front of him. The merchant, whose grin faltered with Evelyn’s cold stare, resumed her happy face as she held up a jar of lotion. Evelyn could practically spot the gleam of coin in her eyes. “For the babe. They get rashes, yes? Their skin so sensitive. This cream helps.” 

He yanked it out of her hands, turning it over in his own to study it. Evelyn groaned, nudging his shoulder with her own in a careful way not to wake Anthony who slept against her breast in a sling. “We have healers for that.” 

The merchant bristled, jerking the bottle back to hold up against the light of the bright sun. “Healers work to heal. This prevents. You want to prevent, no?” 

Rylen grinned at Evelyn while taking the cream back. “Aye, Evie, we want to prevent, no?” Coin slipped from his purse – _ their _ purse- into his hands then offered to the merchant. Attention back to the shopkeeper, Rylen leaned in, eyes assessing the goods on the table. “What else ya got?” 

Reaching under the table, the merchant tugged out an elaborate blanket with little swords stitched into the trim. “A blanket for the babe? These nights, they get cold.” 

Rylen shook his head, the first sensible thing Evelyn saw him do since dragging her and Anthony out into the market square of the Keep. “My mother made us one. She’d be hurt if we didn’t use it.” 

Tsking, the blanket returned to its place under the stall, replaced with a set of wooden blocks. “Babies love these. Something to play with? Possibly chew on? Your son is around the age. Satinalia arrives soon and it is good to have gifts.” 

His eyes sparkled with eagerness as he reached for them, but Evelyn stuck her hand out to cut him off. “No thank you. Anthony won’t remember this one so there’s no need for the blocks, especially ones that could give him  _ splinters _ .” 

Rylen whipped around to Evelyn, who pursed her lips into a hard line. “Evie,” he coaxed, his hand rubbing at the small of her back, “the lad needs toys.” 

“Yes, but these vultures only want our coin.” Her eyes fell back to the merchant, who matched her sneer. “We don’t need every single thing they’re offering simply because they have it in stock. It’s exactly like when I was pregnant.” Her hand stroked the sleeping babe’s soft curls as he nestled his face further into her chest, a soft coo leaving his lips. “We’ll go broke if you try and buy everything.” 

“It’s his first Satinalia,  _ our _ first Satinalia. Forgive me if I’m a bit excited.” 

The biting tone of Rylen’s voice meant she hit a sore point. A sigh signaling her defeat, she stepped back. Maybe if she went back up to their quarters, seeing the amount he wasted on these frivolous gifts wouldn’t bother her as much. With a kiss to his cheek and a pat on the back, plus one more cutting glimpse to the self-satisfied merchant, she started back up the stairs, careful not to let the jostling wake Anthony. How he managed to sleep through the ruckus of the Keep, she never knew. 

She envied that ability for herself, the parade of soldiers that came through Rylen’s office keeping her awake during her daytime naps. And with Santinalia so close, the meetings increased heavily, every soldier in Griffon Wing wishing to head home or trying to bring their family in for the holiday. She listened to their pleas, along with Rylen’s response of deal with it. Having a son didn’t soften him in their eyes, though they failed to see where he stressed over each and every refusal as he laid awake in bed at night. 

A few soldiers waved in her direction as she marched past, some stopping to catch a glimpse of the nestled babe. Anthony loved playing with them when awake, bright blue eyes shining as he laughed and grabbed ahold of whatever they offered to him. Little Ant was quite the curious one, needing to touch everything either with his hands or with his mouth. Maybe some new toys weren’t the worst idea, and it wasn’t as though she was the best gift giver. With giving birth almost four months prior, she might have to rethink her usual gift to Rylen of sex, maybe settle for something else that wouldn’t leave her hurting after.

It seemed unfair, that he always knew just what to give her while she never had any luck in that field. Though he promised he loved that dumb little wooden fish she got him back in Kirkwall, the one he kept front and center on his desk. Since then, she switched to his choice of sexual activity to not suffer the embarrassment of having to pick out another gift for him again.  

Evelyn entered the office on her way back to their room, reports scattered across Rylen’s desk in his version of organization. Stopping short of the stairs up to the bedroom, she took a quick glance around to see if anything gave her an inkling of an  idea. Nothing stood out, so with a resigned sigh, she made her way up to where she and their son spent most of their time. 

The rocking chair by the window looked most inviting; she sunk down into it and closed her eyes as her feet began to push off the ground. Anthony cooed again, tiny fists twisting in the cloth of her shirt. Stroking his hair with one hand, the other drew circles into his back as she held him. Maker blessed them both with such a sweet child, even if the early days left her wanting to strangle both him and the man who impregnated her. She never knew that she could love anyone as wholly as she did the bundle pressed against her. No wonder Rylen wanted to offer Anthony all their coin could buy. Could she fault him for that? 

As she rocked, she closed her eyes, listening to Anthony’s soft breaths and the steady creaking of the chair. With no one down below, the noise of the Keep muffled in the quiet of the room. Her mind began to drift, until ...

A soft kiss on her forehead woke her from a sleep she didn’t realize she fell into. Rylen grinned down at her, his hand ruffling through her hair. “Hey there, Princess.” Bending down again, his lips pressed into hers for a gentle greeting. 

She yawned, raising her arms to stretch. She hadn’t felt tired, but the repetitive rocking motion must’ve lulled her off, the magic of the chair. Anthony stirred against her, his own yawn matching hers before bright eyes opened. His little body began to squirm in the sling, but before she could grab him, Rylen’s hands lifted him out and brought him up to his face. 

At seeing his bobhan, Anthony giggled, grabby hands stretching for something to hold onto. Rylen blew kisses into his stomach before reeling back. “Whew, someone stinks.” 

She made a move to get out of the ever so comfortable chair, but Rylen shook his head. “I have him.” He ducked into the washroom, the tenor of his voice indicating a conversation with their little Ant while he changed his diaper cloth. 

Evelyn rose anyway, searching for a sign of the many gifts Rylen obviously bought. But nothing seemed out of place in the room. Maybe he kept them downstairs where he knew she wouldn’t snoop? Or perhaps didn’t bring them up into the bedroom yet. She hated how the merchants down in the markets preyed on her family, paying close attention to what went on in her life so that they could stock supplies accordingly. Rylen made it no secret that he would spend any amount of money on her, which now applied to the baby as well. And being out in the Approach, shop options were limited.

Rylen came back into the room, bouncing Anthony on his chest. “All better. Say isn’t that right, Mama?” Anthony responded, but with his own language. Rylen kissed the top of his head. “Good enough, son. Good enough.” 

She couldn’t contain her curiosity. “Where are the gifts?” 

“I knew you’d look, brat.” Rylen sat down on the bed, position the pillows to support his back as Anthony laid against his chest. “I got you a few items too, so you don’t get to know.” 

She crawled into bed, curling beside him on the opposite side. Her fingers brushed Anthony’s dark curls away from his forehead as Rylen changed hands to allow one to circle around her back, bringing her in closer. “I keep telling you not to buy me anything.” 

“And each year, I pretend I don’t hear you,” he teased. “I know how this game works.” 

“It’s not a game. You know I’m no good at giving gifts.” 

“Not true,” he said with a shake to his head. “I remember last year’s being particularly nice. Remember how we almost broke the bed?” With a laugh, he leaned over, nuzzling the crown of her head. “But I think I like this year’s gift the most.” 

Confusion flickered across her face as she strained her neck to stare up at him. “But I didn’t get you anything.” 

As if on cue, Anthony began to wail, loud hungry sobs. Evelyn shifted to free her breast and take the screeching child from Rylen’s hands. After making sure he latched and settled securely in the sling, she leaned back into Rylen’s chest. 

“Aye, you did,” Rylen picked up. “Your best one yet.” His hand stroked down Anthony’s back. “I really love this one.” His voice softened and he gave another stroke before his hand fell down to her thigh.

Evelyn’s lips curled back into a broad smile as she stared down at the suckling babe. “A gift to us both, I think.”  She nudged one of Anthony’s clenched fists with a finger, and he unfurled his hand just to clasp onto her. Rylen hummed, wiggling behind her to place a kiss to her neck. 

“I think you’re good on gift giving the next couple of years. At least until he starts to misbehave.” Digging his chin into where her neck and shoulder met, he leaned his head against hers. 

Anthony waved his fist around as if protesting the insinuation that he could ever be anything other than the precious, lovely babe he was. Evelyn laughed as his outburst dragged her hand along for the ride. When he settled back down, she reached with her free fingers to stroke the top of his head. “Buy him what you will, just don’t involve me. I don’t need anything, except maybe a good night’s sleep once in a while.” 

“We’ll see,” Rylen said in a voice that suggested his plans involved nothing of the sort.  

**Author's Note:**

> Anthony is my favorite of all the OCs. He's also the only OC baby with a super-fleshed out storyline.


End file.
